Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)
Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) – Otherwise known as the jaw, TMD affects the muscles responsible for chewing and may be referred as “myofascial pain disorder”. TMD can be caused by clenching of the jaw or grinding of your teeth during sleep, stress, injury to the jaw joint, an uneven bite and certain diseases. With TMD you may experience clicking or popping with chewing, pain around the jaw, in front of the ear, cheek and temple, difficulty opening your mouth, headaches, and earaches, all of which may lead to related symptoms like disturbed sleep.
Treatment includes lifestyle changes, physiotherapy, osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), mouth guards, and massage therapy.